Connect Tradovate Data to Sierra Chart via CQG
There's no direct Tradovate connection in Sierra Chart. Here's the indirect CQG order-routing and Denali data route, the credentials you need, and the exact setup steps.
If you've tried to add your Tradovate account to Sierra Chart and hit a wall, you're not imagining it. There is no direct connection. Tradovate made a business decision not to set up account connectivity with Sierra Chart, so you can't just type in your Tradovate username and password and go. A handful of older accounts are grandfathered in, but for anyone setting this up today, that front door is closed.
The way around it is indirect. Tradovate runs on CQG's infrastructure, so you connect Sierra Chart to CQG for order routing and pull your CME market data through Sierra Chart's own Denali feed. It works, but it has moving parts and real costs, and whether you can do it at all comes down to your broker or prop firm handing you CQG credentials. Here's the full picture before you spend a dollar on a service package.
| What you need | Direct Tradovate | The CQG + Denali route |
|---|---|---|
| Order routing | Not available | CQG Web API (live account only) |
| CME / EUREX data | Not served over CQG | Denali Exchange Data Feed |
| Sierra Chart plan | - | Service Package 10 or higher |
Connect Sierra Chart to Tradovate Data: Step-by-Step
Get CQG Credentials from Your Broker or Firm
This is the step that decides whether you can do this at all. Your Tradovate login won't work in Sierra Chart. You need a separate CQG username and password, and only your broker or prop firm can issue them. Ask them directly whether they'll set up a CQG account for you. Plenty of firms won't, because they route through Tradovate on purpose, so confirm it before you pay for anything else. And CQG demo accounts aren't supported here, only live, funded accounts.
Check Your Sierra Chart Service Package
CQG needs Sierra Chart Service Package 10 or higher. If you're on a lower tier, upgrade in your Sierra Chart account control panel first. It's a cheap step to overlook, and the CQG service simply won't appear the way you expect until the package is right.
Point Sierra Chart at the CQG Web API Service
In Sierra Chart, open Global Settings › Data/Trade Service Settings. Set the Current Selected Service to CQG Web API. In the username and password boxes, enter the CQG credentials your broker gave you, not your Sierra Chart account name and password. These are case sensitive, so type them exactly as they were provided. One wrong character and the connection just fails silently.
Turn on the Denali Feed for CME Data
Here's the part that trips people up. When you route through CQG, Sierra Chart does not serve CME Group or EUREX data over the CQG connection. You get that data through Sierra Chart's own Denali Exchange Data Feed instead. In Data/Trade Service Settings, open Common Settings and set Allow Support for Sierra Chart Data Feeds to Yes, then activate the exchanges you need (CME, CBOT, NYMEX, COMEX, EUREX) from the Denali activation page in your account control panel.
Connect a Live Funded Account to Unlock Non-Professional Data
For the reduced non-professional CME rate, Sierra Chart has to verify you hold a live, funded futures account. Connect Sierra Chart to that live account at least once a month so the check passes. Miss it and your CME data can drop out mid-session. Exchange data fees stack on top of your Sierra Chart plan, and the exact amounts vary by exchange and by whether you qualify as non-professional, so check the current rates before you commit.
If Your Firm Won't Hand Over CQG Credentials
Plenty of Tradovate and prop-firm accounts never get CQG access, so keep two backups in mind. Sierra Chart's own Teton order routing is a zero-cost futures routing service that pairs with the same Denali data feed and skips the broker-connectivity problem entirely. Rithmic is the other common route, and it's handy if you run several prop accounts since you can link them through a single Rithmic connection, though its historical data is thinner. Both still lean on Denali for CME data, so that piece doesn't change either way. Any prop-firm rules on connections and data are set by the firm, so confirm what your plan and account size actually allow before you build a workflow around it.
Automate This with PickMyTrade
If your real goal is automating Tradovate orders rather than charting inside Sierra Chart, you don't need any of this. PickMyTrade routes your TradingView signals straight to Tradovate, with no CQG credentials or extra data package to wrangle.
A lot of traders skip the Sierra Chart route altogether and connect Tradovate to TradingView for charting, then automate the orders with webhooks. If charting in Sierra Chart isn't the hard requirement, that path is far less fragile than chasing CQG credentials.
Skip the CQG Credentials Entirely
If your real goal is automating Tradovate orders rather than charting inside Sierra Chart, PickMyTrade routes your TradingView signals straight to Tradovate, no CQG credentials or extra data package to wrangle.
Start Your Free 5-Day TrialThis guide is for educational and informational purposes only and is not financial, investment, or trading advice. Trading futures and other leveraged products carries a substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. PickMyTrade is an independent third-party automation platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Tradovate, Inc. "Tradovate" and all related names, logos, and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Platform features and steps change over time, so always confirm the current process in the official Tradovate platform and documentation before acting.